Philippa Gregory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Philippa Gregory
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Gregory in 2011
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| Born | 9 January 1954 Nairobi, Colony of Kenya (modern-day Nairobi County, Republic of Kenya) |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Language | English |
| Alma mater | University of Sussex University of Edinburgh |
| Period | 1987–present |
| Genre | Historical fiction, romance, fantasy |
| Notable awards | RoNA Award |
| Spouse |
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| Children | 2 |
Philippa Gregory (born 9 January 1954) is an English writer. She is famous for her historical novels, which she has been publishing since 1987.
One of her most well-known books is The Other Boleyn Girl (2001). This book won an award in 2002 and was later made into two movies. AudioFile magazine has even called her "the queen of British historical fiction."
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Philippa Gregory was born on January 9, 1954, in Nairobi, which was then part of the Colony and Protectorate of Kenya. Her father, Arthur Percy Gregory, worked as a radio operator. When she was two years old, her family moved to Bristol, UK.
She attended Colston's Girls' School. After school, she went to journalism college in Cardiff. She also worked for a year at Portsmouth News. Later, she studied English literature at the University of Sussex, where she changed her focus to history. She earned a degree in history from Sussex University in 1982.
After working for BBC radio for two years, she continued her studies at the University of Edinburgh. There, she earned her Ph.D. in 18th-century literature in 1985. Gregory has also taught at several universities.
Her Writing Career
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Philippa Gregory writes novels set in different times in history. She often focuses on the Tudor period in the 16th century. Her popular Lacey trilogy includes Wideacre, The Favoured Child, and Meridon. These stories are about a deep connection to land.
She also wrote A Respectable Trade, which is about the slave trade in 18th-century Bristol. Gregory adapted this book into a four-part TV series for the BBC. This TV series was nominated for a BAFTA award.
Gregory has also written books about a gardening family set during the English Civil War. These are Earthly Joys and Virgin Earth. She has also written modern stories and books for children.
Famous Books and TV Shows
Many of her novels have won awards and been turned into TV shows or movies. The Other Boleyn Girl is one of her most successful books. It was published in 2001 and adapted for BBC television in 2003. It was also made into a movie in 2008, starring famous actors.
This book led to other novels about the Tudor period. These include The Queen's Fool, The Virgin's Lover, The Constant Princess, The Boleyn Inheritance, and The Other Queen.
Gregory has also written a series of books about the Plantagenets. These were ruling families before the Tudors, involved in the Wars of the Roses. Some books in this series are The White Queen (2009), about Elizabeth Woodville, and The Red Queen (2010), about Margaret Beaufort. Other books in this series include The Lady of the Rivers (2011), The Kingmaker's Daughter (2012), and The White Princess (2013).
The 2013 BBC One TV series The White Queen was based on some of these novels.
In 2013, a writer from The Telegraph said that Gregory has done a great job bringing historical noblewomen to life. She noted that Gregory's historical fiction is very entertaining.
In 2011, Gregory wrote a short story for a book that helped the Woodland Trust. This book helped plant about 50,000 trees.
Philippa Gregory received the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) award in 2021. This was for her contributions to literature and charity work in the UK and The Gambia.
In 2024, Gregory's play about Richard III, called Richard, My Richard, was performed in theaters.
What Historians Say
Some historians have discussed Philippa Gregory's work. They sometimes point out that she blends historical facts with creative storytelling. Gregory has said she tries to be historically accurate. However, some historians disagree.
For example, historian David Starkey has called her work "good Mills and Boon". He believes historical novelists should not be seen as historians. Another historian, Susan Bordo, has said that Gregory's claims of being very accurate are sometimes questioned.
In her novel The Other Boleyn Girl, her portrayal of Anne Boleyn has drawn some criticism. Some historians and other novelists felt that the book showed Anne in a way that was not supported by historical evidence. They believe that authors should be clear when they are writing fiction.
Her 2013 novel The White Princess and its TV show also caused discussion among historians. They noted that the story included events and relationships that have no historical basis. Authors like Samantha Wilcoxson have stated that making up such details about historical figures is not just creative license.
Helping Others
Philippa Gregory runs a small charity called Gardens for The Gambia. This charity builds wells in school gardens in The Gambia. She started this charity in 1993 while researching one of her books.
The charity has dug almost 200 wells. These wells help provide water for school and community gardens. The gardens grow food for children and also produce crops that can be sold. The money from selling crops helps buy school supplies, seeds, and tools.
Besides wells, the charity has also started a successful bee-keeping project. They have funded feeding programs and workshops in crafts like batik and pottery. They also work with larger donors to install modern boreholes in areas where digging wells is not enough.
Philippa Gregory also supports The UK Chagos Support Association. This group helps the Chagos islanders with their legal issues.
Her Life
Gregory wrote her first novel, Wideacre, while finishing her doctorate. At that time, she lived in a cottage with her first husband, Peter Chislett, and their baby daughter.
Her Books
Novels
- The Wideacre trilogy
- Wideacre (1987)
- The Favoured Child (1989)
- Meridon (1990)
- Tradescant series
- Earthly Joys (1998)
- Virgin Earth (1999)
- The Plantagenet and Tudor novels
- The Other Boleyn Girl (2001)
- The Queen's Fool (2003)
- The Virgin's Lover (2004)
- The Constant Princess (2005)
- The Boleyn Inheritance (2006)
- The Other Queen (2008)
- The White Queen (2009)
- The Red Queen (2010)
- The Lady of the Rivers (2011)
- The Kingmaker's Daughter (2012)
- The White Princess (2013)
- The King's Curse (2014)
- The Taming of the Queen (2015)
- Three Sisters, Three Queens (2016)
- The Last Tudor (2017)
- The Boleyn Traitor (2025)
- The Order of Darkness series
- Changeling (2012)
- Stormbringers (2013)
- Fools' Gold (2014)
- Dark Tracks (2018)
- Fairmile series
- Tidelands (2019)
- Dark Tides (2020)
- Dawnlands (2022)
- Stand-alone novels
- Mrs. Hartley and the Growth Centre, or Alice Hartley's Happiness (1992)
- The Wise Woman (1992)
- This book is about a young girl who leaves her nunnery and enters the world during the time Anne Boleyn was queen.
- Fallen Skies (1994)
- A Respectable Trade (1995)
- Perfectly Correct (1996)
- The Little House (1998)
- Zelda's Cut (2000)
Short Stories
- Bread and Chocolate (2000)
Children's Books
- Princess Florizella series (picture books)
- Princess Florizella (1988)
- Florizella and the Wolves (1991)
- Florizella and the Giant (1992)
- Stand-alone children's books
- Diggory and the Boa Conductor (1996), picture book
- The Little Pet Dragon (1997), picture book
- A Pirate Story (1999), picture book
Plays
- Richard, My Richard (2024)
Non-fiction
- The Women of the Cousins' War: The Duchess, the Queen and the King's Mother (2011), with David Baldwin and Michael Jones, history
- "Early Women Writers" in The Women Writers Handbook. Aurora Metro Books. 2020. ISBN: 971912430338
Books Made into Movies and TV Shows
- A Respectable Trade (1998), a drama based on her novel A Respectable Trade
- The Other Boleyn Girl (2003), a TV movie based on her novel The Other Boleyn Girl
- The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), a film based on her novel The Other Boleyn Girl
- The Little House (2010), a TV miniseries based on her novel The Little House
- The White Queen (2013), a drama series based on her novels The White Queen, The Red Queen, and The Kingmaker's Daughter
- The White Princess (2017), a miniseries based on her novel The White Princess
- The Spanish Princess (2019–2020), a series based on her novels The Constant Princess and The King's Curse
See also
In Spanish: Philippa Gregory para niños
